January 16, 1997

           FCC RELEASES NEW TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERSHIP REPORT

     The FCC today released its latest report on telephone subscribership levels in the United
States.  The report presents subscribership statistics based on a survey conducted by the Census
Bureau in November 1996.  Statistics from that survey estimated that 93.9% of all households in
the United States had telephone service.  This is unchanged from the last report, for July 1996,
and also unchanged from November 1995, but it is 0.3% below the maximum reached in 1993. 
Due to sampling variability, this change cannot be regarded as statistically significant.  The report
also shows different subscribership levels by state, income level, race, age, household size, and
employment status.

     In November 1996, the telephone subscribership penetration rate was 75.9% for
households with annual incomes below $5,000, while the rate for households with incomes over
$75,000 was 99.2%.  By state, the penetration rates ranged from 87.4% in Arkansas to 97.3% in
Maryland and Wisconsin.  Households headed by whites had a penetration rate of 95.0%, while
those headed by blacks had a rate of 87.1% and those headed by Hispanics had a rate of 86.5%. 
By age, penetration rates ranged from 85.5% for households headed by a person under 25 to
97.0% for households headed by a person over 70.  The penetration rate for unemployed adults
was 88.4%, while the rate for employed adults was 95.6%.

     This report is updated three times a year and is available in the Common Carrier Bureau's
public reference room, 2000 M Street, NW, Room 575, Washington, DC.  Copies may be
purchased by calling International Transcription Service at (202) 857-3800.  This report can also
be downloaded [file name: SUBS1196.ZIP] from the FCC-State Link internet site, which can be
reached via a link from the Common Carrier Bureau home page (http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/) on the
World Wide Web.  The report can also be downloaded from the FCC-State Link computer
bulletin board system at (202) 418-0241.

     For further information, contact Alexander Belinfante at (202) 418-0944.

                               - FCC -